How to Tighten Skin on Your Neck, Stomach, Near Stretch Marks and More

There are a number of less-invasive and non-invasive options for skin tightening after weight loss, due to aging and more.

Skin Tightening

The tightness of your skin can change with age and due to a number of reasons. Most people notice this loosening of skin around their faces and necks, although it can occur just about anywhere. A surgical lift can be an option, but this is also highly invasive and can be expensive for many people. Plus, what do you do when you don’t need a solution as serious as plastic surgery?

Fortunately, there are a number of less-invasive and non-invasive options for skin tightening. As you age, collagen in the skin is often lost. This can lead to sagging, loose skin in many areas of the body. Usually, it is seen most frequently in the neck, with women being the most likely to seek assistance to get rid of excess skin. Topical treatments and dermatological tightening solutions are both options, with a variety of treatments available in both areas.

People can find themselves struggling with loose skin caused by weight loss or pregnancy, as well. When you gain and then subsequently lose a lot of weight, it affects the elasticity of the skin. Less severe losses and gains may tighten back up on their own. But when you have extreme cases, you may need assistance getting your skin back in shape after having a child or losing a significant amount of body weight.

If you are struggling with loose or excess skin, regardless of the cause, here are some good ways to get started on improving your skin health.

How to Tighten Skin

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When it comes to skin tightening, there are two major methods that are used: mechanical and chemical tightening. Mechanical refers to the use of surgical procedures or mechanical movements to adjust the tightness of the skin. This is what you would see in the case of a neck lift. Chemical tightening involves reintroducing valuable nutrients into the body and skin, and helping to promote collagen production.

Dermatological treatments, including laser therapy, are also available to assist with how to tighten skin. These treatments use various methods to either promote collagen production, or to shrink the excess skin and help it regain its original shape and elasticity. For those who want to avoid serious cosmetic surgery, this can be a more effective solution than topical creams and lotions.

Note: Facial “exercises” have been promoted to assist with skin tightening since the 1960s, but the results have proven to be minimal, at best.

How to Tighten Neck Skin

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The neck is one of the most prominent areas for excess skin for a lot of people. Usually, the best options for how to tighten neck skin are topical lotions and products. For minor skin tightening needs, these can be effective over time and offer a solution in an area that makes people very self-conscious. Firming creams that include retinoids and collagen-boosting ingredients are going to be most effective.

Retinoids are responsible for preventing damage caused by free radicals, which can eventually lead to collagen damage and loose skin. They also help increase collagen production and help to maintain the elasticity of the skin. Supplements, such as additional collagen or protein supplements, can also be helpful in tightening neck skin. For more severe cases, you can consider laser therapy or radio frequency skin tightening, which both offer more effective results without invasive procedures.

How to Tighten Stomach Skin

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Stomach skin is often more difficult to tighten because it covers a larger area. However, it is also an area that you can assist by doing exercises to help tighten the skin and improve its elasticity. Weight training exercises can help build muscle and decrease the appearance of loose skin that is related to weight loss.

While exercise helps to tighten your body, there are multiple ways for how to tighten stomach skin. In some situations where fat is present in an area for an extended time, it can cause the skin’s elasticity to weaken. Thus, when you lose weight, it may be harder for the skin to go back to where it used to be. By replacing the fat with muscle mass and toning your body, you can help eliminate a lot of sagging and loose skin in the stomach area.

Skin Tightening Cream

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There are a number of topical creams on the market designed to assist with skin tightening. The skin tightening cream products are thicker, and may be ideal for use on the neck and face because they offer a simple solution. A lot of creams are applied overnight and designed to soak in while you sleep. There are even some products available for people with sensitive skin or other skin issues. This offers solutions for a variety of needs.

When shopping for skin tightening products, look for those that include ingredients that promote healthy skin and collagen production, such as B vitamins, retinoids (discussed above), protein and amino acids, and vitamin C. Collagen supplements are also available.

Skin Tightening Lotion

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Like creams, skin tightening lotion should include ingredients that promote skin health and elasticity. Lotions are thinner than creams, typically, and can be applied throughout the day or as part of a morning or nightly routine. Lotions may not offer as much coverage as a cream and may also leave a greasy residue that some people don’t enjoy.

There are, however, a number of lotions available for various skin types and levels of severity of loose skin. Look at reputable brands to find the best options. Remember, also, that creams and lotions are designed for use on less serious skin tightening needs. If you have a severe case of loose skin, you may need to consider a more intensive treatment option like a dermatological treatment.

Skin Tightening Facial

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Facials are available for a number of skin issues and beauty treatment regimens. There are skin tightening facial remedies available that you can create at home and products that you can buy at the store. There are even clinics that offer personalized facial treatments for skin tightening, which include things like facial massage, exfoliation, and a finishing serum to leave skin glowing and promote proper collagen production after you leave.

Radio Frequency Skin Tightening

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Radio frequency skin tightening is one of the most popular methods chosen for people who have more severe issues with loose skin. Collagen production is stimulated by using radio frequency energy, which also contracts the skin surface and promotes healthy skin growth.

Utilizing this treatment allows doctors to treat loose skin issues from the outside and the inside at the same time. The first wand goes over the skin to treat the surface while the second goes under the skin, where it will emulsify, or liquify the fat in the affected area, which can help firm the skin and lead to fewer issues with loose skin in the future. This procedure is minimally invasive, as only a small puncture in the skin is needed to treat the affected area.

While this treatment is most effective on the face and neck, it is also offered for full-body treatment when people need something more intensive than a standard cream, serum, or facial treatment. For those who have lost excess weight, there is not enough power in this method for effective results. They may want to consider laser treatments or plastic surgery to remove excess skin.

Plasma Skin Tightening

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Plasma skin tightening treatments are new in the cosmetic industry. These treatments are designed using plasma to help tighten the tissues under the skin and promote positive collagen production. The procedure involves using a pen to deliver plasma energy to the skin’s surface, which then is transferred to the tissues underneath.

This is a minimally invasive procedure that can be done at a dermatologist’s office or a day spa, and it can be done on just about any area of the body that needs skin tightening assistance. Areas often treated include eyelids, crow’s feet, stretch marks, stomach skin, neck skin, lines and wrinkles near the mouth, and more. The ability to alleviate loose skin without actual cutting is what makes procedures like this one popular.

This process usually takes about six to eight weeks. It will require a different number of appointments for each individual, depending on how severe their issues are and what areas need to be treated.

Laser Skin Tightening

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Laser treatments are used to send heat into the deeper layers of the skin without affecting the top layer. This laser skin tightening treatment is quite effective for body treatments, including tightening loose skin on the upper arms and stomach areas. Usually, this process can take two to six months to complete and could require anywhere from three to five treatments, depending on the severity of the loose skin that you are dealing with.

This is often the last procedure that people will try before they seek out surgical solutions for loose skin. Since it is a cosmetic treatment, it is rare that it will be covered by insurance. Keep in mind that there is a cost involved in a procedure that uses expensive laser equipment to treat the skin and body.